Fun Guyz

Fun Guyz is a magic mushroom store chain mainly operating in Ontario, with at least 17 stores in the province and one in Quebec. Their business operates illegally, as sale and possession of magic mushrooms is illegal in Canada. These stores are frequently raided and their products confiscated. The raided stores usually reopen quickly after the seized merchandise has been replaced, with the exception of the five locations that have been permanently closed by local authorities.

The owner of the business believes that criminal charges would make a constitutional challenge for the legality of psilocybin possible due to similar actions taken by businesses before the broader legalization of cannabis. He also states that his products are for therapeutic use; however, the substance has not been approved by Health Canada. Identities for spokespeople of the business have varied. As of August 2023, police have sought an arrest warrant for the owner of the stores.

Background
The active ingredient in magic mushrooms is psilocybin, which is converted into psilocin when consumed by humans and has hallucinogenic properties. Both substances are considered Schedule III substances under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Other illegal mushroom dispenseries unaffiliated with Fun Guyz have operated storefronts; such as Shroomyz and The Mushroom Cabinet. Shroomyz was the first such illegal mushroom dispensary in Canada.

The only legal method of obtaining psilocybin is through Health Canada's Special Access Program after all possible treatment options have been exhausted. As of 2020, sixteen healthcare professionals were legally exempt from the laws prohibiting the possession of psilocybin. As of 2021, forty-six patients were granted exemptions under the same program. Psilocybin has been used in some clinical trials but has not received formal approval from Health Canada and has limited comprehensive research supporting its use. Valorie Masuda is a Canadian physician certified in prescribing psychedelics; she advocates for psilocybin to be more accessible in tandem with being regulated to prevent safety hazards that may occur through illicit use. As of 2023, Australia is the only country in which psychedelics are regulated as medications and formally approved for psychiatric use.

History
Fun Guyz started operating as an illegal business in 2023. Potential customers are required to be at least 19 years old and sign a waiver before purchase. Customers must also pay in cash. The stores also operate without a business license.

Individual locations have operated in:
 * Barrie
 * Bradford – permanently closed
 * Brantford – permanently closed
 * Cambridge
 * Chatham
 * Hamilton
 * Kitchener – permanently closed
 * London
 * Montreal
 * Niagara Falls
 * Oshawa
 * Ottawa
 * Preston
 * St. Catharines
 * St. Thomas – permanently closed
 * Toronto – 5 locations
 * Wasaga Beach – permanently closed
 * Windsor

Police response
Each store has been raided by police but typically reopens, with the exception of the five stores that were shut down permanently by local authorities. The raided stores usually reopen quickly after the seized merchandise has been replaced. The storefront located in Barrie also had two employees charged with trafficking and possession of illegal drugs; after the raid, the store reopened. In August 2023, an employee at the St. Catharines storefront was charged with psilocybin trafficking and proceeds of property obtained by crime. When the company expanded outside the province of Ontario with a location that opened in Montreal, it was raided the same day it opened and four employees were arrested. The store was raided an additional two times during its first month of business.

Individual police forces have the ability to decide which matters to prioritize. When Barrie's police force communications co-ordinator reiterated that the products the store sells are indeed illegal, they declined to answer when a journalist asked them why the store was not raided daily. The Toronto Police Service has indicated that dealing with these illegal businesses is not a high priority. The Waterloo Regional Police Service has stated that it has collaborated with other police forces in Ontario about these illegal businesses and that "there is a large ongoing investigation taking place behind the scenes". In 2023, their Wasaga Beach, Bradford, and St. Thomas locations were shut down by local authorities due to the illegality of their business operations. In 2024, the stores located in Brantford and Kitchener were also permanently closed by police.